Women's Swimming and Diving
Benson, Nicole
Nicole Benson
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- nicole.benson@unh.edu
Nicole Benson returned for her third tenure as an assistant coach under Josh Willman in 2025-26. Previously, she was a volunteer assistant coach from 2004-11 before returning as a volunteer assistant for the 2018 season. She was part of three UNH America East Championships: 2013, 2014 and 2018.
Benson returned to UNH from Phillips Exeter Academy, where she served as an assistant varsity swim coach at one of the most exclusive private schools in the world from 2018-25. Her leadership played a major factor in the success of a team that produced incredibly talented high school and age-group swimmers at the regional, national and, as of this past spring, international level.
Benson was a standout swimmer at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where she swam sprint freestyle and backstroke events for three seasons. She still holds multiple top-10 times at UWGB and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2002. She went on to complete her eligibility at the University of Kansas, where she earned her Master’s degree in Sociology.
Benson started her coaching career as a graduate assistant for Kansas and assistant masters swimming coach in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1997 and 1998. She later became the head swimming coach for the YMCA Green Dolphins Swimming club in Wausau, Wisconsin. She also worked as an assistant swimming coach for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she assisted in recruiting and worked specifically with the sprint group.
After moving to the Seacoast area in the early 2000s, Benson became a huge force within the local swimming community. She initially coached with the Portsmouth High School swim team before launching the Newmarket High School swim program.
During her previous UNH experiences, Benson was part of the coaching staff for Wildcat teams that featured numerous America East record holders and NCAA qualifiers including Amy Perrault and Liza Baykova as well as UNH Hall of Famer Shannon Daly and Melissa Lague. She also coached club swimming, first with the Exeter Swim team, then Commonwealth Current North, formerly SOLO Aquatics (SOLO), which offers year-round competitive swim and dive programs to athletes ages 6 to 21.
Benson and her husband Tom have five children: Andrew, Amy, Alison, Anika and Ada. Amy is a rising college junior and swims for Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where she is a Division III All-American. Andrew, whose name can be found on the Swasey Pool record board, just completed his fifth year at the University of Wisconsin, where he was a three-year NCAA qualifier and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier. Alison is entering her first year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and will swim for the Eagles.
Benson returned to UNH from Phillips Exeter Academy, where she served as an assistant varsity swim coach at one of the most exclusive private schools in the world from 2018-25. Her leadership played a major factor in the success of a team that produced incredibly talented high school and age-group swimmers at the regional, national and, as of this past spring, international level.
Benson was a standout swimmer at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay where she swam sprint freestyle and backstroke events for three seasons. She still holds multiple top-10 times at UWGB and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2002. She went on to complete her eligibility at the University of Kansas, where she earned her Master’s degree in Sociology.
Benson started her coaching career as a graduate assistant for Kansas and assistant masters swimming coach in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1997 and 1998. She later became the head swimming coach for the YMCA Green Dolphins Swimming club in Wausau, Wisconsin. She also worked as an assistant swimming coach for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she assisted in recruiting and worked specifically with the sprint group.
After moving to the Seacoast area in the early 2000s, Benson became a huge force within the local swimming community. She initially coached with the Portsmouth High School swim team before launching the Newmarket High School swim program.
During her previous UNH experiences, Benson was part of the coaching staff for Wildcat teams that featured numerous America East record holders and NCAA qualifiers including Amy Perrault and Liza Baykova as well as UNH Hall of Famer Shannon Daly and Melissa Lague. She also coached club swimming, first with the Exeter Swim team, then Commonwealth Current North, formerly SOLO Aquatics (SOLO), which offers year-round competitive swim and dive programs to athletes ages 6 to 21.
Benson and her husband Tom have five children: Andrew, Amy, Alison, Anika and Ada. Amy is a rising college junior and swims for Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where she is a Division III All-American. Andrew, whose name can be found on the Swasey Pool record board, just completed his fifth year at the University of Wisconsin, where he was a three-year NCAA qualifier and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier. Alison is entering her first year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and will swim for the Eagles.
Jamy Lum America East Champions Post-Meet Interview
Sunday, April 25
UNH Head Coach Josh Willman America East Champions Post-Meet Interview
Sunday, April 25
UNH Head Coach Josh Willman Day 2 America East Swimming Championships Post-Meet Interview
Saturday, April 24
UNH Head Coach Josh Willman America East Swimming Championships Preview Interview (4/22/21)
Thursday, April 22
